Your kitchen is the most used room in your home. That means your countertops have to withstand a lot of general wear and tear every day.
If you don’t keep up with maintenance, this can make your counters lose their shine and beauty.
That’s why we’ve put together these five tips that’ll help you keep your granite countertops sparkling.
So let’s dive in!
1. Wash Your Granite Every Day
Granite is resistant to bacteria, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clean it every day. Washing off food crumbs and other spills will help keep the sealant in good condition.
You can buy a cleaning product specifically designed for granite countertops, but you don’t really need it. Warm, soapy water will do just fine.
Dip and soft cloth into your soapy water and run it over your granite. Don’t use abrasive cleaners or sponges. This can wear out the sealant and damage your counter.
2. Wipe up Spills Right Away
You should always wipe up any spills right away, even if it’s just water. If you leave spills alone, the moisture can seep into the pore of your granite and form stains.
Is your granite already covered in stains?
There are a few different things you can do.
To remove the stains, mix enough baking soda with water to create a paste. Apply this to the stained section, gently scrub it with a soft cloth, and rinse. You might have to do this several times for tricky stains.
If you can’t get the stains out or if you’re remodeling your kitchen, you might want to install a new granite counter. Granite Transformations Colchester (www.granitetransformations.co.uk/colchester) is an affordable, quality place to start shopping.
3. Don’t Set Hot Pans Directly on the Surface
Although granite countertops are heat resistant, avoid placing hot pots and pans directly on the surface without protection.
Heat resistant doesn’t mean heat proof.
Over time, the heat from pans can damage your sealant. If this happens, your granite can start to degrade as well.
4. Protect Your Granite with Coasters and Cutting Boards
Most knives won’t damage your granite, but again, chopping food on the surface of your countertop can lead to damage over an extended period of time. If you’re interested in keeping your granite in good condition, you should always use cutting boards or plates when cooking.
This goes for cold cups and pitchers as well.
Keep coasters on or near your counter so they’re within reach. The condensation on the outside of your glass can gather on the counter and turn into a stain if you don’t keep a protective barrier between the two.
5. Reseal Your Granite Regularly
The most important maintenance you can give your granite countertop is regular resealing. The sealant on your granite is the protective layer, and without it, your counter is much more likely to sustain damage.
You should check to see if your counter needs resealing at least once a year.
To do this, pour a drop of water onto the surface of the counter. If the water bead up together, you don’t need to reseal it. If the water flows freely, you need to apply a new coat.
How to Keep Your Granite Countertops Sparkling
Granite countertops are resistant to bacteria, heat, scratches, and stains, so keeping them in good condition isn’t hard. If you keep the surface of your countertops free of spills and food crumbs, your granite will keep sparkling for years.
Still in the planning stages of your kitchen?
Make sure you click here to learn how to plan a beautiful and practical kitchen design.